Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Oklahoma is OK

We had a great time on Oklahoma.

Dad picked us up at the airport in Tulsa and had a whole greeting committee with him. Friends of his from their neighborhood in Florida came out to OK for his birthday party. The snowbirds weren’t in FL yet so Jan and Joe motored down from London, Ontario and Bev cam in from Peoria. Quite a minivan full.

From the airport we went to Okmulgee to see the Creek Tribal House. Dad dropped us off and went to the Creek government center to register his car but his insurance info wasn’t up to date. He eventually got it sorted out and picked us back up after lunch. It was then back to the government center so Dad and I could get new tribal ID cards. Very need. The new ones are photo ID.

We went to Bristow, Dad’s hometown, for a tour and a vanilla malted. Out of town we followed a good bit of old US Rt. 66 to Sapulpa.

Dad showed us thing and told stories that were new to my stepmother and me. Having an audience brought out a lot of information.

The party on Saturday was a bit of a family reunion. Some of the Bruce family, who my cousin met by chance on a Mexican cruise, came in from Arkansas. Most of my first cousins were there. All of my father’s surviving siblings were there. Dad was thrilled. He says he’s embarrassed by the attention but he still loved seeing so much of the family together.

It was pretty emotional for me. My cousin remodeled the family homestead and did a great job. Not too Okie tacky. I honestly didn’t think I’d ever make it out to OK ever again. I spent a couple of weeks at my grandparents’ every summer as a kid but have only been back twice in the last 21 years.

The food was fantastic. I ate things I haven’t had in 20 or more years. Gramma’s strawberry pie, chicken and noodles, fried okra…

Mrs. M even had a good time. My family loved her and she adapted well to the clan. She even enjoyed going to my cousin’s peewee football game. She’s even amenable to going out again for a longer stay.